Biography

After attending King's College Wimbledon to GCSE and St. Paul's School for AS/A2 (Biology, Chemistry, Maths - 3 A*s), I went on to St. John's College, Oxford. I completed an integrated MSc programme in June 2015 and was awarded a First Class Degree. My Masters thesis was in the field of Transplantation Immunology, searching for an alternative to harmful anti-rejection immunosuppressive drugs.

I enjoyed science outreach programmes for local schools while at Oxford and looked to tutoring to involve myself in education. I have been tutoring since 2011 and have found it a very rewarding experience.

Personal Approach

Too often the Sciences are taught by rote. Not only does this instantly dispel any elegance or beauty in them but makes their assimilation challenging. My approach is to establish the fundamental principles upon which more complex ideas can be built. This allows students to engage with the subject rather than just treat it as another hoop through which to jump. Engagement leads to enjoyment and an appreciation for the science that underpins the world around us. I encourage students to challenge what I teach them and to ask probing pertinent questions which is only possible if they have a true feel for the subject rather than regurgitating facts ad nauseam.

My belief that the Sciences should be taught as building blocks from the fundamentals upwards leads to structured learning with natural progression to and through defined goals which rest upon one another.

What I do when I am not tutoring

I have just completed my MSc in Biochemistry at St. John's College, Oxford and have returned to London. Over the coming year I will be applying for immunology-based PhDs in London to start September 2016, working in a lab at UCL and tutoring.

Outside of academia, I work as a theatre lighting designer and have worked on some 30 university productions, some of which transferred to the Edinburgh Fringe, winning awards and critical acclaim. I am also an amateur photographer, shooting both film and digital. I enjoy manually developing and printing my film work and utilise digital photography for astrophotography, imaging galaxies and nebulae.

In addition, I am a keen squash player and fencer, competing in local leagues, though unfortunately sporting enthusiasm has not quite translated into ability!

Testimonials

''We have been very pleased with Oli. He has a positive and enthusiastic approach and manages to explain things in an easy to understand way. He has been very reliable and flexible.'' (Mother of an A level student)

''Brilliant! Knowledgeable, friendly and a good communicator.'' (Mother of a GCSE and subsequent A level student)

''Oli was invaluable in tutoring my daughter in her GCSE coursework and exam preparation for Maths and the Sciences. He is focused, organised and excellent in his follow up. He was not only helpful in exam strategies but was conscientious in ensuring that she learnt the subjects well.'' (Mother of a GCSE student)

''Oli tutored my daughter for her Maths GCSE resit. I sat in on the tutorials and was very impressed with the rapport that Oli quickly built with [her]; his patience and whole style very much suited her. Oli never let us down on any appointments and was always quick in responding to emails or calls should we have a problem. I whole heartedly recommend Oli for tutoring.'' (Father of a GCSE student)

“Oli Stevens taught my son A Level Chemistry. He knows and importantly understands chemistry thoroughly and is a natural teacher. He has the gift of explaining subjects in clear, simple terms. He identifies the learning needs of a student, explains and then tests their understanding. My son was able to progress rapidly with Oli. One lesson with Oli was apparently the equivalent of 1/2 a term’s work at school. I have no hesitation in recommending him.”